Objective: To evaluate the effects of a multi-professional educational program in patients with knee osteoarthritis (KOA) . Methods: Prospective randomized controlled trial with 195 KOA patients. One group was submitted to two-day lectures and received educational material about KOA (Class group), and the control group received the educational material only. Patients were evaluated at baseline, twelve and 24 months. At evaluation, patients answered pain and functional questionnaires (WOMAC, Lequesne, VAS and SF-36); reported the intensity of exercise per week; measured the body fat percentage, weight and height to estimate body mass index (BMI); and performed Timed Up & Go (TUG) and Five-Times-Sit-to-Stand (FTSST) tests . Results: The groups presented similar results in all time points with respect to pain (VAS and WOMAC pain), WOMAC, BMI and body fat percentage (p>0.05). The Class group exhibited improved function according to the Lequesne questionnaire, whereas the control group worsened (p=0.02) during follow-up (p<0.02). TUG (p=0.01) and FTSST (p<0.001) improved in the Class group. A higher percentage of patients in the Class group performed regular physical activity (p=0.045) . Conclusions: The educational program with classes improved the consistency of physical activity and the subjective and objective function of patients with KOA. Level of evidence IA, Prospective Randomized Controlled Trial.

Introduction:Knee osteoarthritis (KOA) is the most prevalent form of osteoarthritis. Low socioeconomic level, age, and obesity are directly correlated with the incidence of the disease. Education, exercise, and diet are the core recommendations of all KOA treatment guidelines.Objective:To evaluate the impact of a multiprofessional educational program on patients with KOA.Methods:Of a total of 198 participants, 150 patients with KOA attended 2 days of lectures (at 1- to 3-month intervals) and received educational material on osteoarthritis, and a control group (48 patients) received educational materials only. Body mass index (BMI), frequency, and intensity of physical activity, pain, function, and quality-of-life scores were assessed at baseline and at 4 and 12 months after the educational program. Bimonthly telephone calls were made to half of the participants. Correlations between BMI, level of education, coping skills, functional, and pain results was procured.Results:The groups were similar in terms of race, gender, affected side, and osteoarthritis severity. The results were not affected by the telephone calls or the patients’ level of education. At baseline, 25 performed physical activity, whereas 123 performed at 1 year. Seventy-two (36.36%) patients decreased BMI (45 by 1 point and 27 by more than 2 points). There were some weak correlations such as BMI reduction with pain and functional improvements and with coping results. Significant improvements in function and quality of life were found at 4 months. Quality of life remained improved at 1 year.Conclusion:The effect of this educational program in function and quality of life of patients with KOA is very subtle. Interval between classes (1, 2, or 3 months) is not an important issue.

Background: Osteoarthritis (OA) has a major impact on mobility and the loss of productivity of patients, especially knee OA (KOA). Obesity is one of the main risk factors for the incidence and prevalence of KOA. Weight loss alone decreases pain and improves quality of life and functional scores. Objective: To use BMI, body fat, and calorie intake to measure the effect of a multi-professional educational program on patients with KOA and correlate these measurements with subjective questionnaire results. Methods: A total of 198 patients undergoing standard treatment for KOA were randomized to 4 groups. All groups received written and video information regarding KOA. Three groups (1, 2 and 3) also attended two days of lectures 1, 2 and 3 months apart, respectively, whereas group 4 did not. Each group was divided into subgroups A (bimonthly telephone calls) and B (no telephone calls). All patients were evaluated at baseline and at one year for BMI, waist-hip ratio (WHR), percentage of body fat, and calorie intake and with the WOMAC, LEQUESNE, VAS and SF-36 questionnaires. Results: The WHR showed 89.4% of android obesity at baseline and

OBJECTIVE: This is an extended follow-up of a randomized controlled trial to evaluate if the addition of triamcinolone to viscosupplementation could alter one-year pain and function of viscosupplementation alone. This is a Level I Therapeutic study (See Guidelines for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence). METHODS: In a previously reported study we prospectively enrolled 104 patients with knee osteoarthritis and randomized them to receive either a single intra-articular injection (6 mL) of hylan GF-20 (Group viscosupplementation [Group VS]), or a single intra-articular injection of hylan GF-20 (6 mL) and 1 mL (20 mg) of triamcinolone hexacetonide (Group VS þ T). Visual Analogue Scale, WOMAC TM , and Lequesne questionnaires were completed at baseline, at weeks 1, 4, 12, 24. At the one-year follow-up point, all patients were recruited and reassessed. RESULTS: At one year, the effects of treatment observed in the previous periods were present, with no differences between groups; only the Group receiving hylan þ triamcinolone hexacetonide still showed a difference from baseline in the Visual Analogue Scale questionnaire. CONCLUSIONS: The addition of triamcinolone hexacetonide improves first-week symptoms and functional scores of viscosupplementation and does not alter its adverse effects. There might be benefits for the one-year pain results.